Retreat to Steep Ravine Cabins on Rocky Point

The Steep Ravine Cabins at Rocky Point are a destination like no other in Marin. The nine small rustic cabins perched on a prominent rocky point just south of Stinson Beach offer outdoor enthusiasts a bit of shelter from which to enjoy the gorgeous Pacific coastline and a get-away from the mainstream. 

There is not a lot of hiking at the Steep Ravine Cabins themselves, but the destination alone is worth the trip. There are small trails that circumnavigate the cabin area and the environmental campground along the small bluff.

The beaches are rocky, usually with a pounding surf and are best for fort building and rock collecting (don't keep them though, as this is protected by the Mt. Tamalpais State Park designation); we took a picture of our rock collection.

The best way to experience the area is to garner a reservation or a cancellation for one of the cabins at ReserveAmerica.com. The cabins fill about six months in advance, but cancellations are frequent, so if you watch the ReserveAmerica website religiously you can usually score a night or two, especially midweek. The reservation comes with a gate code to let you drive down the several hundred-foot elevation drop from Hwy 1 to the camp. The cabins cost $100 per night and have no running water or electricity. For just a day trip there is parking out along Hwy. 1 and you can walk down the gated road to the point (about 1 mile).

Our family went out for mini-vacation last week and had a marvelous time building forts on the beach, scrambling on the rocks and exploring the bluffs. The low tide that accompanied the full moon made for great tide-pooling and finding invertebrates on the rocks. Nighttime brought a barbecue and candlelit dinner overlooking the ocean and the gorgeous sunset. We slept to the lulling rhythm of the ocean heard through the cabin walls, and awoke with the sun.

To the north of the cabins, a steep rocky shore called Red Rock Beach separates Steep Ravine from Stinson Beach. A small hot springs is located at the base of one of the cliffs of Red Rock Beach. Enthusiasts brave steep treacherous climbs and tricky tidal conditions to find the hot pools. Nudity is common, and word has it that the pools are only accessible during extremely low tides.

Closer to the cabins is the eponymous Steep Ravine where Webb Creek tumbles into the ocean. Across Hwy 1 from the gate at the top of Rocky Point Road, Steep Ravine Trail follows the creek up onto Mount Tam. We didn't hike that trail this trip, but we will be sure to cover it on another hike. For more information about what amenities the cabins include visit the Mt. Tamalpais State Park website and TripAdvisor.com.